


do the thing

by starstruck_moon



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Fluff, Gen, M/M, basically zuko helping sokka build stuff, bending's still a thing though, idk how to tag, inventor!Sokka, kind of zukka, like it leads to that, no beta we die like jet
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-05
Updated: 2021-01-05
Packaged: 2021-03-15 20:09:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,333
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28569789
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/starstruck_moon/pseuds/starstruck_moon
Summary: Sokka's an inventor. Sure, he's still in high school, but there's nothing he likes more than tinkering with random stuff and making new things.Then rich, popular Zuko Sozin comes into his life and suddenly, he's got an assistant.
Relationships: Mai/Zuko (Avatar), Sokka & Zuko (Avatar), Sokka/Yue (Avatar), Sokka/Zuko (Avatar)
Comments: 6
Kudos: 92





	do the thing

**Author's Note:**

> hi! this is my first atla fic! enjoy!  
> some stuff to note about this au:  
> \- the gaang's in a high school in republic city.  
> \- aang's not the avatar, but he is one of the few airbenders left - a few escaped the genocide during the hundred-year war and he's descended from them.  
> \- the hundred-year war happened a long time ago. basically this world is kind of set after legend of korra? the world is basically stable/in peace.  
> \- suki's a kyoshi warrior who lives in republic city. there are a lot more kyoshi warriors, most of whom live on kyoshi island, and suki's in charge of the republic city kyoshi warriors.  
> \- zuko doesn't have a scar yet.  
> when i got this idea, i thought it kind of had varrick/zhu li vibes, thus the title.

It started in high school. 

Sokka’d just turned 16, starting his junior year. He’d finally almost finished his latest invention, the boomerang shaper. It could whittle a boomerang with perfect balance from any piece of metal you fed in, through a complicated series of gears and pulleys and a little bit of metalbending that Toph helped him with. It was perfect, and it had taken him all summer.

Except it was missing one crucial part, but Sokka couldn’t find it anywhere except in the huge garage in one end of town. It was rare and therefore expensive. There was no way Sokka was forking over two hundred coin for that. 

So he was stuck, and not happy about it, but he had other things to focus on when school started, such as reuniting with his friends and asking Yue to the homecoming dance, not to mention the mountain of schoolwork his teachers were already starting to pile on him.

He was eating with his friends in the canteen, which was abuzz with enthusiastic reunions as kids who’d gone on holiday to their tribes or villages returned. Suki had gone back to Kyoshi Island and Sokka hadn’t seen her in weeks. She’d got them all small but deadly fans, made by the newest members of the Kyoshi Warriors. 

Suddenly, there was a lull in the loud chatter and everyone’s eyes swivelled onto the entrance. Sokka didn’t need to turn around to know who was coming in.

Zuko, Azula, Ty Lee and Mai. The richest, most popular group at school. Everyone admired and feared them, and they had reason to.

Zuko and Azula were the children of Ozai Sozin, the owner and CEO of Sozin Enterprise - the biggest weapons company in the world. They supplied cables to the entire Republic City police force, guns and armour to the army, and airships to the airforce. The company made huge profits, so Zuko and Azula were richer than half the junior year put together. They were also powerful firebenders, supposedly bending before they could walk. 

Ty Lee was part of a circus in Omashu who Azula and Zuko had visited when they were younger. They’d made friends with her and Azula had insisted on her coming to live with them in Republic City. She was a non-bender, but had learnt to chi-block in the circus. She was bubbly and enthusiastic. Sokka thought she’d be quite nice if it weren’t for the people she hung out with.

Mai was the daughter of a nobleman and Zuko’s girlfriend. She’d been childhood friends with Azula. Sokka couldn’t imagine anyone liking her - she was as bland and expressionless as Hakoda’s cabbage stew (there was a reason why he and Katara took turns cooking).

They didn’t talk to anyone else unless they had to, even somewhat bullying the people who got in their way. Sokka had seen Azula threatening someone so they’d fail on purpose, getting her to the top of the class. 

Sokka and his friends didn’t really interact with the Sozin gang, as they were known. They were rich and Sokka - was not. His mum had been the breadwinner in the family and after her death Hakoda had been struggling to make ends meet. Now, he had a stable job to support his family, but they didn’t have extra. 

It didn’t really matter to him, though. He had his dad and sister and Bato - his dad’s best friend who was practically family. He had his friends - Suki, Aang, Katara and Toph - who loved and supported him. He had his small workshop in their garage where he constantly tinkered and made new stuff. He was good at schoolwork too, excelling especially in science and maths. He was reasonably popular - not in the same way as the Sozin gang - but because people liked his easy-going nature and his jokes. He had a date to the homecoming dance with the most beautiful and compassionate girl he had ever met.

So yeah, life was good. Except for the missing part. It was really frustrating him. 

“Hey, Sokka!”

He blinked rapidly, recalling himself to the conversation. Now that the Sozin gang was seated, the canteen had resumed its lively chatter. 

“Sorry, I was just thinking about the missing piece for the boomerang maker”

Suki rolled her eyes good-naturedly. “Can’t you get Toph to, like, metalbend it or something?”

“And what’s up with the name?” Toph interjected. “You usually have a weird whacky name for your inventions”.

“The piece is a platinum alloy, so it would be impossible for Toph to metalbend it. And yes, I do come up with better names, but only after I finish it”

“It’s a whole ceremony,” said Katara, “you should have seen the Sparky Sparky Boom Game one. He made us all jerky, ‘sacrificed’ some to Tui as thanks, made us wear our best clothes, and made us play the game. Then he turned off all the lights and gave a speech about how honoured he was. It was hilarious but the jerky was good.”

Sokka opened his mouth indignantly but Aang spoke first. “I remember that! I thought the ceremony was cool, Sokka”

“Thank you, Aang”

The school bell rang and they scrambled to get to their lessons.

\---

They met back up after school. Sokka’d already done most of his homework for the week and it was a Friday, so he agreed to hang out. They headed to Kyoshi Park, where the mall was. 

They got drinks at a coffee shop, first. Suki spotted Yue and she came to sit with them, where she made the mistake of asking Sokka about his latest invention. The others, who’d heard it a million times (except Aang, who was too non-confrontational to make fun of anyone) yawned and faked sleep while Sokka enthusiastically rambled on about the boomerang maker and the piece he couldn’t get. Yue looked politely interested, nodding at the right times and asking a few questions. 

“Oh good, he’s done” Toph grumbled twenty minutes later. “Can we go look at the new police cables now?”

“Actually, I think I’m going to go buy Haru a present. You guys go ahead”

“Sokka, have you still not got him a present? His birthday’s tomorrow!”

“I’m sorry! I forgot, okay? There’s still time!”

Katara huffed. “Okay, we’ll meet you in the metalbending shop. Hurry up!”

Sokka nodded and headed to look around. Haru said he needed a new jacket. Maybe he could buy a plain one and spruce it up a bit. He had some fabric paint lying around somewhere…

“Um, Sokka?”

Sokka whirled around at the sound of his name pronounced by a raspy, somewhat familiar voice. Zuko Sozin stood there, for once not flanked by his sister and friends, looking sheepish and awkward at the same time.  _ Wow, he’s actually kind of attractive,  _ thought Sokka randomly.  _ Also, he knows my name? _

“Hi! That’s me. Sokka. My friend Toph calls me Snoozles sometimes, though. I hate it, please do not call me that. Katara -”

Realising he was rambling, he cut off and flashed Zuko a grin. “Sorry. What can I do for you?”

Zuko smiled tentatively at him. The smile looked unfamiliar, as though he wasn’t used to it. Sokka hadn’t ever seen him smile. It wasn’t a bad look on him, though. If anything, it illuminated his golden eyes and -

Focus.

“I’m sorry, I was in the coffee shop with Mai and I heard you talking about the - er - boomerang maker? It sounds really cool, but you need a part right? I think I can help you”

Sokka eyed him sceptically. It was almost unheard of for a Sozin to do anyone a favour. “How?” he asked. He wanted to ask  _ why _ but he felt it might be rude.

“Well, my uncle plays Pai Sho with a friend of his, Master Piandao, whose car broke down. It’s a Satomobile 327, so it has the piece you need, and it just so happens it’s that piece that needs replacing. He has a new one, so if you can help him put it in, I’m sure he’ll be happy to give you the broken one. It’s dented - would that be okay?”

Sokka impulsively flung his arms around Zuko, who stiffened and then awkwardly patted his back. “Thank you, thank you, thank you!” he beamed, too excited to care about the fact that he was hugging a Sozin in the middle of a mall. “When can I get it?”

“Um - tomorrow morning? I can call Uncle now, he’ll be playing Pai Sho with Master Piandao”

Sokka grinned widely. “You have no idea how much I’ve been looking for this. But why do you want to help me?”

Zuko looked down, shyly. “Well - I like building stuff, too, but I’m not great at coming up with ideas. I was wondering if I could see the machine?”

“Of course!”

They swapped numbers and then Zuko excused himself in a weirdly formal way. Sokka watched him go, a wide grin on his face. 

“Was that Zuko  _ Sozin _ ?”

He turned at the sound of Katara’s accusatory voice to see his friends coming towards him. “We were wondering what took you so long, so we came to find you”

“Yeah, that was Zuko,” Sokka replied happily. 

Katara peered at him. “What are you so  _ happy  _ about?”

“He said he found me a part!” Sokka did not  _ squeal _ , except he kind of did.

Katara looked confused, then sighed. “Whatever. Did you get Haru a birthday present?”

\---

The next morning found him meeting up with Zuko outside a large house in the nicer part of town. Master Piandao welcomed them in and led him to the back of the house, where a gleaming Satomobile stood, parts scattered around. 

“I tried to fix it,” said Master Piandao, “but I’m not good with machinery. I was going to call a mechanic, but then Zuko said you’d have a go in exchange for the piece. You’re welcome to it”

Sokka nodded and got to work on the car. Bato had taught him and Katara all about cars, but Katara’s never been interested. She’d preferred practicing waterbending at the stream. Sokka, on the other hand, loved them and had spent many a happy hour with Bato. It was where he’d got his love for making stuff.

Replacing the part was easy and took him all of twenty minutes, except at the end, where he needed a solder to attach it firmly. Zuko, who’d been watching and passing him tools, helped him with some impressively controlled firebending. 

“Done!” Sokka declared, sliding out from underneath the car and putting his shirt back on. He noticed Zuko’s normally alabaster cheeks are slightly pink, probably from the firebending.

They headed back into the house, the part safely in Sokka’s bag. The only damage that had been done to it was a small dent on the side. The dent was enough to stop a Satomobile working, but not a boomerang maker.  _ I should find a proper name for it now, _ Sokka thought jubilantly.

He was ready to go back home, but Master Piandao insisted they stay for lunch, and who is Sokka to refuse food, especially food cooked by a private trained chef. It was unsurprisingly delicious, and the company great too. He learnt that Master Piandao teaches sword fighting, so they discusses swords. Zuko pitched in fairly often, too, repeatedly surprising Sokka. He hadn’t thought that a talented firebender would know so much about swords. Sokka cracked multiple jokes as usual, and was taken aback to hear small chuckles coming from Zuko. So he had a sense of humour. Sokka decided he liked Zuko’s laugh, and tried to make him chuckle again.

They left for Sokka’s house after lunch. Sokka took Zuko to the garage, launching into an explanation of his boomerang machine and how it worked. When he told his friends, they’d nodded and asked questions (Aang, Yue and Suki) or looked bored (Katara and Toph). Zuko was different. As Sokka explained the different parts, he walked round the machine, gently running his fingers over the part that Sokka was talking about. Every so often, he interrupted, sometimes asking questions and sometimes awkwardly giving him suggestions. At first, Sokka was taken aback and wondered why he hadn’t thought of that. Then, as they got more comfortable, Sokka started scribbling them down. 

Sokka put in the new piece, with Zuko helping him as before. Excitedly, he started it up, feeling the thrum of the motor. He fed it a piece of scrap metal and moments later, a perfectly formed boomerang clanked out. Reverently, Sokka threw the boomerang. It sliced an apple off the tree outside and flew back to his hand. 

“Yes! It worked!”

He hugged Zuko again, who was smiling, less awkwardly than before. This time, Zuko hugged him back with a laugh. 

“You should call it the Boomerang Builder,” said Zuko.

The Boomerang Builder. Admittedly less catchy than Sparky Sparky Boom Game, but catchy nonetheless. 

“Perfect”

“What are you going to do with it now?” asked Zuko.

Sokka scratched his head. “Uhh, make boomerangs? I guess?” He hadn’t really thought this far. The idea came to him when he lost his old boomerang and rather than buying a new one decided to make his own. Or rather, make a machine to make his own. But he didn’t really need a machine once he made a good one.

“You should sell them,” Zuko said suddenly. “The boomerangs, I mean. The only place to buy good ones is at the Water Tribe Mall, and no one goes there except water tribesmen. You could sell them at school, I bet people would be willing to buy them. I know I would”

He flushed. “I mean, it was only an idea. Sorry”

Sokka looked at him, awed. “No, it’s a brilliant idea!”

“You think so?”

“Yeah!” Sokka responded enthusiastically. “Come on, I need to show everyone!”

That was the beginning of a beautiful partnership and an even more beautiful friendship.

**Author's Note:**

> i might write more of this and make it into a series - i have a couple more ideas with zukka actually happening + some angst when zuko gets his scar. let me know what you think!
> 
> kudos and comments are much appreciated!


End file.
